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Applications for Industrial Decarbonization
Kanin Energy is an experienced and innovative waste heat to power project developer, providing the expertise and resources to help our corporate partners turn their waste heat into something valuable through industrial decarbonization.
Generating Electricity from Waste Heat
Many industrial processes vent flue gas that contains a significant amount of wasted energy that can be converted into electricity. Kanin contributes carbon-free baseload electricity generation, thereby offsetting power produced from fossil fuels. Of all the energy produced and consumed to do ‘work’, up to 58% is lost in the form of waste heat during industrial processes. The ability to capture wasted energy and produce Waste Heat to Power (WHP) is viable in many different industries. WHP is zero-emission generation powered by heat from industrial processes and equipment that would otherwise be lost to the environment.
WHP Conversion Process
Kanin is technology agnostic, focusing primarily on the deployment of WHP best-in-class Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems to convert some of that wasted energy into valuable, baseload electricity. ORC turbines are closed loop systems using an organic fluid that heats up to drive a turbine. Offering a bundled solution, Kanin brings together the expertise, equipment and capital partners required to execute, paying the host facility for their wasted heat and generating green, baseload power with no additional CO2 emissions. Since these systems are fuel-flexible they can be modified to work with renewable fuels as they become available at scale, including hydrogen.
Industries we Serve
We’re helping heavy industries decarbonize
while simultaneously reducing costs.
Cement
Natural Gas
Steel & Other Metals
Biomass
Refineries
Hydrogen
Glass
Chemicals & fertilizer
Natural Gas Infrastructure Overview
Viable waste heat recovery opportunities in natural gas infrastructure can be found at various points – production, transportation, and distribution processes. Opportunities include natural gas processing plants, gas turbines, reciprocating engines, and LNG terminals.
Natural Gas Midstream Waste Heat Power Application
Tallgrass Energy is a co-owner in the REX pipeline, one of the largest natural gas pipelines in North America, that relies on compression generated by natural gas turbines. This application is the first project of the portfolio set of projects captures heat from three gas turbines to power a single ORC producing 9.5MWe. As a result, this project will generate baseload 24/7 electricity that will be sold to the University of Dayton to offset 100% of their electricity needs and reduce its carbon footprint by 71%. Read more here. Additionally, our partner benefits by creating a new revenue stream and being an industry leader.
Refineries Overview
While extensive heat integration typically in refineries, there are often viable heat resources to support waste heat recovery projects. Opportunities can include flash coolers, diesel, hydrotreating units, olefins, hydrocracker units and more.
Refinery Industry Application
Applications in the refinery industry include heat recovery from multiple stacks to enable multi-megawatt behind the meter clean power projects. Viable strategies include heat recovery from several stacks could provide the basis for a thermal oil heat distribution system to offset current natural gas burn at the refinery or heat recovery from multiple stacks could provide enough heat to generate power for behind-the-fence use. The impact of these applications include power cost reductions and on-site power reliability, as well as emissions reductions and lower carbon intensity score of refinery products.
Cement & Building Materials Overview
Kilns typically provide viable sources of heat in cement and building materials production – clinker cooler and preheater exhaust streams often support waste heat to power projects. These applications can be challenging due to particulates found in the exhaust stream, however tie-in and heat exchanger design can mitigate this problem.
Cement & Building Materials Application
Applications in cement and building materials is focused on how heat recovery kilns, clinker coolers and preheaters offer multi-megawatt opportunities for power projects. Due to the high heat environment, Steam Rankine and Organic Rankine Cycle technologies could be good candidates for power production. This evaluation is conducted on a site-by-site basis. The impact of applications for cement and building materials projects include lower cost reductions and on-site power reliability, in addition to emissions reductions and lower carbon intensity score of refinery products.
Steel & Other Metals Overview
There are a large number of opportunities for waste heat recovery in steel and other metals including Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF), blast furnaces, annealing furnaces and re-heat furnaces. These resources tend to be challenging to tie-in to and can be intermittent, however solutions exist to build viable projects despite these drawbacks.
Steel & Other Metals Application
Applications in steel and other metals center around EAF exhausts, blast furnaces, annealing furnaces and re-heat furnaces provide large amounts of waste heat that can be used to generate power. The impact of applications for these projects include power cost reductions and on-site power reliability, emissions reductions, lower carbon intensity score of refinery products, in addition to the opportunity of selling excess electricity to the local power grid.
Other Industries
Biomass
Pellet plants use heat that is typically fueled by natural gas to dry biomass. A waste heat recovery unit can decrease natural gas use and save on energy.
Hydrogen
WHP facilities support Hydrogen by creating carbon-free energy that can be used to produce Hydrogen.
Glass
Processes in the steel industry from primary ore processing to recycling and rolling, emit large quantities of waste heat.
Chemicals & Fertilizer
Chemicals, polymers, and fertilizers have crackers and many other components that make the industry a great candidate for decarbonization through waste heat to power.
Representative Project & Data
| Turbine Model | Rolls Royce RB211 |
| ORC Electrical Power | 8.2 MW |
| Cost to Host | $0 |
| Revenue to Host | $350,000 per year |
| CO2 Avoided | 40,250 tonnes per year |
Industrial Decarbonization FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers on industrial decarbonization.
There is no impact or potential impact on the existing industrial process, therefore, there is no risk to the client process. For example, any additional back pressure added to a turbine exhaust by Kanin’s heat exchanger will be mitigated by installing an induced draft fan (if required). The systems utilized are relatively low pressure, field-proven, and have been deployed for many years.
The site equipment will immediately revert to the previous operation for exhaust before the Waste Heat to Power system was installed.
Kanin is responsible for any repairs or maintenance that would be required for the Waste Heat to Power equipment. Every 5 years the system gets inspected with a maximum week turnaround.
Kanin utilizes an innovative business model that works with the host facility in an Energy-as-a-service (EaaS) agreement to pay facilities for their waste heat.
Visual inspections can typically be incorporated into the rounds of the current operators. Kanin will compensate for any additional workload taken on by the company. Kanin also provides the option to completely and independently manage the WHP system. Additionally, Kanin coordinates remote monitoring and preventative maintenance on a 24/7 basis.
We do not remove carbon from the atmosphere absolutely; however, we are considered a clean power generation source because there are no incremental emissions in the production of electricity through a Waste Heat to Power system. The average project avoids (or reduces) CO2 emissions by ~35,000 metric tonnes per year. Waste Heat to Power systems work by decreasing scope 1 and scope 2 emissions. Scope 1 emissions are emissions from sources that an organisation owns or controls directly. Scope 2 emissions are emissions that a company causes indirectly when the energy it purchases and uses is produced.
Kanin Energy is a clean energy developer that helps heavy industry decarbonize their operations.
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Kanin’s CEO Amongst 2023 CPA Achievement Award Winners
CPA Alberta is pleased to announce the 2023 Achievement Award recipients. These outstanding CPAs embody the core principles of the CPA profession: integrity, expertise, and commitment. Their contributions and accomplishments bring honour to the profession and strengthen the reputation of all CPAs. Congratulations to all 2023 Achievement Award recipients!
Read more, here.